The first outreach activities at IF-UFF were update courses for primary science teachers in the 1970's. These courses were then extended to various cities in Rio de Janeiro state, and other UFF unities got involved, such as the Chemistry, Biology and Geoscience departments. These activities led to the creation of the Espaço UFF de Ciências in 1991.

In the 1980's, due to demand by the Fire Brigade, the IF started offering courses on Radiological protection.

In the 1990's there was a diversification of the activities, including:

• three Theoretical Physics Summers Schools and a Condensed Matter Winter School;

• several algebraic computation courses (using Maple and Mathematica);

• a course on programming of microcontrollers;

• four workshops on approaches to teaching Modern and Contemporary Physics to high school students;

• several update courses for high school teachers in many cities in Rio de Janeiro state;

• the Physics Happy Hour, a physics seminar for high school students and teachers;

• the Palácio das Descobertas (Discovery Palace), a pilot project that led to the Casa da Descoberta (Discovery House), implemented in the Ingá Museum in Niterói.

In 2000 the Casa da Descoberta (UFF Science Outreach Centre) was created, working in the premises of the Physics building, on the 2P floor. Some of the events promoted by the Casa da Descoberta became regular fixtures at IF-UFF: the Physics Happy Hour, the "Ver Ciência" video sessions and the activities of the yearly Children's Day. Currently over 10 IF-UFF faculty members coordinate or participate in outreach projects.

Phone: (0-XX-21) 2629-5805 / 2629-5874 Fax: (0-XX-21) 2629-5887
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